BRINDLEY THEATRE ENHANCEMENT
Transforming the already award-winning theatre with a refreshed design, making the Brindley more visible and accessible, taking advantage of a new outdoor public realm and vistas connecting to the town. The Brindley Theatre has become a key cultural asset to the town since opening in 2004 and has continued to steadily grow its customer base.
The Brindley Theatre has won:
- Royal Institute of British Architects Architectural Award 2004
- ADAPT ‘Excellence in Access’ Award – Access for Disabled People to Arts Premises Today 2005
- Centre Vision Civic Trust Award 2005
- Best Arts Project in the UK – National Lottery Awards 2007
- Award for Technical Excellence in Architectural Technology 2008
- Kitemark Award for Disability Access & Friendliness 2013 (The Ella Performance Group)
- Kitemark Award- Outstanding Services for Young People with Disabilities in Halton 2015 (Halton Speak Out)
- Tripadvisor ‘Certificate for Excellence’ 2016.
- Tripadvisor Top 10% of Things to do Worldwide award
This extension will expand the current facilities in the Brindley Theatre to enable the diversification and ability to house a larger number of visitors to the venue to increase local footfall developing a more robust visitor economy. A part of this is to improve the energy efficiency and access into the theatre. The Runcorn Old Town Library is set to relocate into the extension to build into the wider ambition of creating a cultural hub for the community. There will also be a well-designed large café restaurant that will complement the library relocation into the building.
Timeline
2024
The enhancement is underway, breaking ground on Wednesday 21st August! During the building works, access to the Brindley is now via the Terrace Cafe and there is new signage around the building and adjoining roads to assist visitors to the building. Free parking for the Brindley is now on the former Crosville car park (next to Costa), opposite the Brindley, adjacent to the Bridgewater Canal. You can access to the car park is via the A533 Bridgewater Expressway.
The Brindley’s programme of events will continue as normal, the building work will not have an impact on the quality of the performances. You can also keep up to date with the project via the Brindley website: www.thebrindley.org.uk and social media.
The work on the theatre enhancement is expected to be complete by June 2026.
2022-
Spectacular plans for the Brindley extension by EWA were unveiled in February. See the press release for more information on the plans and download them here.
A public consultation drop in session was held on 14th April at the Brindley, where the public discussed plans with project officers. An online survey was then available for two weeks following this.
2021-
The council updated the brief for this project strand with the co-location of the local Library and the Brindley. Here Ellis Williams Architects (EWA) from Preston Brook were appointed.
See the press release for further information.
2020 –
In 2020, K2 Architects created a RIBA stage 2 design for the envisaged extension of the Brindley with a café- restaurant and event space.
The K2 plans can be downloaded here.
This will see the grassed area outside the Brindley Theatre transform into a welcoming, safe and inclusive civic space. It is set to include more accessible entrance points into the venue. As well as landscaping the green space making it suitable for outdoor performances whilst improving the vista across the ‘Old Town’ of Runcorn.
Timeline
2025-
Estimated to start on site in quarter one of 2025 subject to the progress of other projects.
2022-
Spectacular plans for the Brindley extension by EWA were unveiled in February, including the plans for a DDA compliant access route from the High Street through the Brindley Green to the New Brindley entrance door. See slides 7 and 8 of the plans for more information. Download the plans here.
A public consultation drop in session was held on 14th April at the Brindley, where the public discussed plans with project officers. An online survey was then available for two weeks following this.
2021-
Ellis Williams Architects (EWA) from Preston Brook were appointed to the project.
See the press release for further information.
2020 –
In 2020, K2 Architects created a RIBA stage 2 design for the envisaged extension of the Brindley with a café- restaurant and event space.
The K2 plans can be downloaded here.